diff --git a/src/TrueCV.Infrastructure/Jobs/ProcessCVCheckJob.cs b/src/TrueCV.Infrastructure/Jobs/ProcessCVCheckJob.cs
index 67e1364..bf19ed2 100644
--- a/src/TrueCV.Infrastructure/Jobs/ProcessCVCheckJob.cs
+++ b/src/TrueCV.Infrastructure/Jobs/ProcessCVCheckJob.cs
@@ -385,7 +385,11 @@ public sealed class ProcessCVCheckJob
         }
 
         // Penalty for unverified education (not recognised, but not flagged as fake)
-        foreach (var edu in educationResults.Where(e => !e.IsVerified && !e.IsDiplomaMill && !e.IsSuspicious && e.Status == "Unknown"))
+        // Skip unknown/empty institutions as there's nothing to verify
+        foreach (var edu in educationResults.Where(e => !e.IsVerified && !e.IsDiplomaMill && !e.IsSuspicious && e.Status == "Unknown"
+            && !string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(e.ClaimedInstitution)
+            && !e.ClaimedInstitution.Equals("Unknown Institution", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase)
+            && !e.ClaimedInstitution.Equals("Unknown", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase)))
         {
             score -= UnverifiedEducationPenalty;